Why I work with HCM

I do not take lightly the opportunities education can afford. Every person, regardless of their background, deserves the opportunity to be a contributing member of society. Equitable, accessible and rigorous education can be the great equalizer. My work helps ensure that students across the country have access to an educational system that does not just exist, but rather is designed to ensure they succeed. My work advocates for students, like my nephews (African American men), who often are not served well by the current system. One day at a time, one student at a time, one equitable policy at a time, my work (piece by piece) is helping change the lives of students.

Cristen Moore

Cristen Moore is a talented policy professional committed to opening the doors of higher education for all of America’s students. At HCM, she is a senior associate supporting the firm’s postsecondary education work on behalf of clients such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Lumina Foundation’s Strategy Labs.

Through her work, Cristen provides a portfolio of services including supporting the development of strategic plans, elevating the importance of equity-minded leadership, serving as an intermediary and facilitating evaluations. She also works across all 50 states providing technical assistance as states look to implement strategic policy to increase educational attainment in their state. Her work spans institutions, higher education systems, state-level agencies and nonprofit organizations.

A native of Indianapolis, Indiana, Cristen brings to her role at HCM a rich background and personal dedication to promoting good health and education policy. Her mother’s job as a nurse and brother’s work as a physician shaped her outlook on the health care delivery system and provided her with a good foundation for her work as a Barbara Jordan Scholar on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. In this role, Cristen provided research on health disparities to the committee during its consideration of the Affordable Care Act.

Inspired by the policymaking process and dedication of HELP Committee members and staff during late night committee markups, Cristen developed a passion for policy that focused on the issues and remained above the political fray. She put these policy priorities to work in Rep. André Carson’s office, where she helped to garner bipartisan support for the Congressman’s efforts in forming the Higher Education Caucus to examine higher education issues.

Despite her formative experience with health care policy-making, higher education has emerged as Cristen’s true policy passion. The sister of a third-grade teacher in Indiana’s public school system, Cristen was shocked to learn that the state projects future prison incarcerations by assessing the number of African American males who cannot read by the third grade. This fact drove Cristen to focus her professional and volunteer pursuits on expanding access to higher education.

A graduate of Howard University with a bachelor’s degree in legal communication, Cristen also earned her master’s of public administration degree from George Washington University in 2014. She volunteers with Operation More Hope as a tutor for fifth grade students and supports community service efforts for the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. Cristen currently resides in Indianapolis, Indiana.